Climbing legend Dean Potter killed in BASE jumping accident

Legendary climber and all-around daredevil Dean Potter was killed in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite on Saturday, May 16, along with his jump partner Graham Hunt, according to press reports.

Potter, 43, and Graham, 29, were attempting a wing suit flight Saturday evening from Taft Point a rock promontory that overlooks Yosemite Valley from 3,500 feet. They were planning to fly through a notch in the granite cliffs but both crashed into the rock faces, according to the The New York Times.

Both men’s bodies were recovered on Sunday, according to a park spokesman.

Always pushing the limits, during his career Potter bagged numerous pioneering climbing ascents in Yosemite and around the world, many while free soloing. He was also a major force in BASE jumping and highlining–at times, pursuing both simultaneously.